Linking projects to business strategy through project portfolio management

Abstract

In many organisations, a chasm exists between the development of strategy and its successful implementation. Failure to cross this chasm may ultimately result in strategy failure and the loss of competitive advantage, profits, and employment. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is theorised as a management methodology that links a portfolio of projects to the business strategy. However, current literature lacks empirical evidence of the levels of employment, functionality, and success of the Project Portfolio Management approach in South Africa. A survey of respondents in 32 technology organisations was used to analyze the reasons for the following: strategy implementation and project delivery failure in South African technology organisations; the South African situation regarding the chasm that exists in many organisations between strategy development and successful strategy implementation; and the extent to which – and with what success – Project Portfolio Management is employed in South African technology organisations.

In baie organisasies bestaan daar ’n gaping tussen strategie-ontwikkeling en suksesvolle strategie-implementering. Die onvermoë om die gaping te oorbrug sal uiteindelik lei tot strategiefaling en die verlies van mededingende voordeel, winste, en werksgeleenthede. Projekportefeuljebestuur (PPB) word voorgehou as ’n bestuursmetodologie wat ’n portefeulje van projekte koppel aan die besigheidstrategie. Bestaande literatuur gaan egter mank aan empiriese bewyse ten opsigte van die vlakke van indiensneming, funksionaliteit, en sukses van die Projekportefeuljebestuursbenadering in Suid-Afrika. ’n Opname van respondente in 32 tegnologie-organisasies is gebruik om die volgende aspekte te ondersoek: die redes vir falings in strategie-implementering en projekaflewering in Suid-Afrikaanse tegnologie-organisasies; die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie rakende die gaping wat bestaan tussen strategie-ontwikkeling en suksesvolle strategie-implementering; en die mate waartoe en met watter mate van sukses Projekportefeuljebestuur in Suid-Afrikaanse tegnologieorganisasies gebruik word.